


a soft feeling

by eclecticfangirl



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Chaptered, Cute, Fluff, Hairdresser!Will, Hot Nico di Angelo, I freaking love these two, M/M, Mentioned Annabeth Chase, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson Friendship, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace Fluff, Nico is a Dork, Romance, Will Solace is a Ball of Sunshine, solangelo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23826358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclecticfangirl/pseuds/eclecticfangirl
Summary: The man of Will's dreams was arguing with the guy pulling him in the salon, annoyance clear in his tone."Percy, why are you being such a bitch about this? It's just hair! It's not the end of the world if it's a little long-""This is Nico di Angelo." The guy (apparently named Percy) ignored Nico's complaints. "He needs a haircut for my wedding."orWill is a hairdresser, and Nico is just his type. (Punk-rock, tattooed, and really good at making food.)
Relationships: Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 45
Kudos: 125





	1. closing time

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is my third fic here on ao3, and I'm pretty excited about it! I hope you enjoy.

Will was sitting at his desk, getting ready to leave his hair salon. He looked around, thinking about all the work that had gone into it with a small smile, proud of what he had been able to accomplish despite his not very wealthy background. He had his own business at the age of twenty-one, and that was no small achievement, even if the salon wasn't very big. He was the only one left there, since it was already 7 PM, closing time, and was about to turn off the computer before someone burst through the door.

"Oh my god," the man panted. "Are you closed?"

The man was tall, with broad shoulders and slightly dark skin. He was wearing a suit, dark with a navy blue tie. He had intense green eyes and is black unruly hair looked like it was messy on purpose.

"Uh, about to be," Will answered with a questioning tone. "Why?"

"I need a haircut," he said, still breathless. "Well, not me. My friend."

He motioned to the window and Will looked behind him, spotting someone else outside in the dim afternoon light, but he couldn't really see them that well.

"Why would a haircut be so urgent?" Will was still a little taken aback by the suddenness of this situation.

The man ran one hand through his hair and glanced back before quickly turning to face Will again.

"I'm getting married today, and my friend's hair is ridiculously long. This is the only place we found that was still open," the man told him. "Are you a hairdresser?"

"Nah, just a receptionist. I'm the only one here," Will said with a shrug.

Will saw the man's eyes widen in desperation before he realized this was not a good time to joke. 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Will spread out his hands trying to calm him down. "Sorry, not the best time, I know. Yes, I am a hairdresser. I can make an exception today and close late if it's this urgent."

Relief washed over the man's face before walking out the door and coming back in, this time dragging in the person that was standing outside before, and Will took a good look at him for the first time. He felt his heart drop to the floor.

The man was taller than Will, and his scowl was partially covered by his shaggy hair. It was the darkest hair Will had ever seen (and that was saying something, considering Will was pretty sure he had seen every hair color possible). The piercing on his brow glinted as he was pulled into the room, making his bold eyebrows and high cheekbones stand out. He was thin, but not in a scrawny way, with long legs and arms and fingers, and the dark lines of a tattoo peeked out of his shirt collar, contrasting with his pale skin like a raven in the snow. It went up all the way to his jaw, that incredible jaw that looked like it could cut a finger, now clenched as the man stared at his friend. Will realized he was gaping and quickly closed his mouth, swallowing hard.

Oh, dear god.

The man of his dreams was arguing with the guy pulling him in, annoyance clear in his tone. 

"Percy, why are you being such a bitch about this? It's just hair! It's not the end of the world if it's a little long-"

"This is Nico di Angelo," the guy (apparently named Percy) ignored Nico's complaints. "He needs a haircut for my wedding."

Nico scowled at him again and huffed a breath. "I can talk, Percy."

"Will Solace, pleased to meet you." Will stood and walked over to them, shaking their hands. His fingers tingled as he touched Nico's, and they looked at each other for a second before Will glanced at the floor, averting his eyes. This man was too attractive and it was getting late and Will was absolutely sure his face was at least a little red right now. "Come this way."

They followed Will to the chair and Nico sat in defeat. His scowl was still on his face as Will talked to him, though he knew it was directed towards Percy, who was deliberately ignoring his friend's anger. Will examined the dark hair in front of him. 

"I'm just going to feel it to decide how I'll do this, okay?" Will asked, and Nico just nodded. "In the meantime, you can tell me how you want me to cut it."

Nico opened his mouth to answer but Percy beat him to it. 

"Make the sides shorter. Doesn't have to be a shave, but just a lot shorter than it is now." Will nodded and combed his fingers through the soft hair as Percy talked. "It doesn't have to be super short on top. Maybe like those long-ish, messy, Billie Joe Armstrong kinda looks."

Will immediately started working. He felt like Nico's hair would be more easily cut wet, so he washed his hair quickly before cutting and drying it the way Percy asked him to. Nico was silent the whole time, staying still to let Will work. He was done exactly seventeen minutes later.

Nico stood up, looking at the mirror to see the result, and Will's stomach flipped. His haircut made him impossibly hotter, making him look sharp and exposing his incredible jawline and all the piercings on his ears, previously hidden under his long hair. He turned his head to the side to examine it better and Will swallowed a sigh that was threatening to come out. He turned to Percy, trying to distract himself. 

"So, what do you think?"

Percy smiled. "It looks great! Much better than before."

Nico glared at him and Percy shot him an exasperated look.

"Nico, stop being such a baby. You know Annabeth would blame me for not making you get a haircut, and that woman can really hold a grudge."

Nico just rolled his eyes.

"It's fine. It actually looks good, you're just annoying as fuck." He turned to Will. "Thank you for doing this after your work hours. You really didn't have to."

Will just nodded, apparently forgetting how to form a sentence with those dark eyes looking at him so intensely. He looked down as Nico glanced at his watch, turning to Percy. 

"We really should get going. You're going to be late to your own wedding." He started making his way to the door quickly and Percy followed him.

"Oh, you mean I'm going to be _fashionably_ late to my own wedding," Percy smiled, lifting his eyebrows smugly. 

Nico rolled his eyes again. "Percy, it's only okay for the bride to be fashionably late to their own wedding." He paused, smirking at Percy. "Although I've always known you're the woman of the couple. You'll never be as tough as Annabeth."

"Neeks, I don't think anyone will ever be as tough as Annabeth."

"Good point."

They were already out the door and Percy was getting in the car before Nico turned around, looking like he'd just remembered something, and ran back inside. Will, who was turning off his previously neglected computer, looked up as the man approached the desk.

"I forgot to pay you," he said, taking his wallet out of his pocket. "Sorry, there's a lot going on."

Will held up his hand, shaking his head. "No, this is on the house. I've already closed the system anyway, so I can't accept any money."

Nico glanced out the window where Percy waited in the car and then back at Will with a helpless look on his face. 

"I have to do something! You kinda saved us today." He bit his lip and Will's stomach made another somersault. He honestly could not deal with this man's level of attractiveness.

"No, seriously, it's okay," Will said. "Just go already. You're late."

They turned to the car as they heard a honk and Nico looked one last time at Will, walking backwards towards the door. 

"I'll drop by tomorrow," he said. "Wait for me here before you close."

Will nodded as he saw him leave, feeling like there was a rock concert going on inside him as he thought of seeing Nico again the next day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that's chapter one! it was fun to write, so i hope it was fun to read. :) i think i'll try to update every 3/4 days or so. new chapters are on the way!  
> please tell me what you think in the comments :)


	2. aftermath

Nico could feel Percy's eyes on him as they drove to the venue where he and Annabeth were getting married. He knew what Percy was thinking, and it was not that he was about to commit to a lifetime with someone else. It was about Nico. 

Well, not just Nico. Nico and that boy with the stupid golden hair and blue eyes and tanned skin with freckles sprinkled on his cheeks.

"Percy, stop that."

Percy looked away. "I'm not doing anything."

"Yes, you are," Nico sighed. "You're thinking about Will."

Percy smirked. "I think you're a little confused, Neeks. _You're_ thinking about Will."

Nico rolled his eyes, like he so often did whenever Percy was involved. 

"Percy, I'm serious. Stop it."

"Nico, I really can't. He was into you."

Nico sighed. "Dude, no. He was not. And how can you think about my love life when you're getting married in like twenty minutes?"

Percy ignored that last part. "Nico, he totally was. He couldn't look at you in the eyes the whole time we were there. And he didn't charge you for what would have been a thirty dollar haircut." Nico could feel his pointed look even as he stared straight forward.

"Most people can't look at me in the eyes, Percy," Nico answered. "And he was just being nice. And the system was already closed."

"How do you know that? He might have just said it so that you'd accept it for free."

Well, Nico hadn't thought of that. But he still didn't think a guy like Will would be into someone like himself. He just sighed.

"I'm going back there tomorrow."

Percy jumped and grinned crazily at Nico, warding off the road a little before regaining his composure. "Really? Neeks, that's awesome!"

Nico shrugged (not before rolling his eyes again). "I want to make up for the favor in some way. I still don't know what I'm going to do, though."

He looked at Percy and was not surprised when he saw a malicious smirk on his face. Nico shoved him.

"Dude, stop it! I'm serious!" Nico exclaimed indignantly as Percy laughed. "I honestly don't know why I put up with you all these years."

Percy just smiled. "It's because you love me," he said simply. He turned to Nico, a more serious look on his face. "Okay, I won't bug you anymore. The guy just seemed nice, and you seemed to like him."

Nico knew Percy had good intentions, even though he was an annoying little shit. He sighed.

"Yeah, I know. It's fine. I just want you to focus on you and Annabeth today. I don't want you thinking about this at all tonight, okay?" Nico said.

Percy nodded. "Okay. I will avoid the 'Nico and Will would be a great couple and should totally get together' topic." Nico shoved him again as his friend laughed. "No, but seriously. Just do whatever you want. And you don't have to tell me anything, but I'm here to listen anytime you need me. I don't care that I'll be on my honeymoon with my amazing girlfriend."

"Wife, you mean," Nico said, and he saw Percy's expression soften.

"Yeah. Wife."

They sat in silence for the rest of the way there, and Nico thought of the way he had once felt about Percy. All he wanted was to be in Annabeth's place back then. Now, all he could think was how happy he was for them and how perfect his friends were for each other. He smiled, thinking of the night that was about to happen. 

They arrived in time, miraculously, and the venue looked amazing. The ceremony was incredibly beautiful, all of their friends together to celebrate what seemed to be (and probably was) the happiest couple in the world. They danced and laughed and talked about memories they shared, and Nico felt like he could stay like this forever, surrounded by the people he had come to love and cherish so much. They probably didn't even know how special they were to him.

But when he got home the next morning and got ready to sleep well into the afternoon, he wasn't thinking of his friends. He was thinking of a certain blue-eyed, blond-haired man that he was going to see very soon. 

***

When Nico woke up, it was 3 PM, and a hangover was annoyingly hovering his body. He rubbed his eyes and, despite his headache, a happy feeling washed over him. He got up and showered, distracted as he thought of the memories from the night before. He stepped out of the shower, rinsing off his hair with his towel. He raised a hand to run through his hair and he froze.

His reflection stared back at him and his new haircut suddenly reminded him of something: he was going to see Will Solace today.

And he looked like absolute shit. 

Nico rubbed his face and thought of what to do. He really wished the usual bags under his eyes would disappear. And that he didn't look so pale. And that he didn't have that awful bruise on his shoulder. _How did that even get there?_

He decided he would just have to focus on his clothes. So when it was time for him to get ready to go, Nico put on his ripped skinny jeans, his Ramones t-shirt and his leather jacket. He adjusted his earrings and piercings and put on his gloves and boots, thankful that it was fall and he could wear these clothes without melting under the sun. He ran his fingers through his hair again and stared at his reflection. 

He really liked this haircut, more than he wanted to admit. He looked more intimidating and less broody, which he liked. His piercings were a lot more visible and his face seemed to have more of a sharp angle to it. Will had really done a great job.

As that thought crossed his mind, he felt like he was back there at the salon, Will's soft hands combing through his hair soothingly as he trimmed here and there. He remembered how his skin tingled wherever he touched, and the way Will looked at him when he thought Nico wasn't, and that little crease between his eyebrows and the way he bit his lip as he concentrated. The image in Nico's head sent a wave of excitement over him as he thought of seeing Will again. 

He sighed, knowing the feeling growing inside him. He hated it when he started liking someone like this. He could deal with one night stands. But _f_ _eelings_... 

Well, that was another matter entirely. 

Nico pushed the butterflies down as he grabbed his phone and walked out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, I guess that’s chapter two! I know it’s not much, but more is yet to come. the next one is gonna be longer. knowing myself, I’ll probably post the next one tomorrow. (I have no self control.) anyway, I hope you’re enjoying this so far! :)


	3. repayment

When Will opened the door to the salon the morning after _the incident_ , his mind was somewhere else. He couldn't stop thinking about Nico and the way he looked and his raspy voice and soft hair and the fact that Will was going to see him again that night. The crush he had on this man made him feel like he was in middle school again, all giddy and excited. It was almost embarrassing.

The thing is, Will had a type. And his type was slim tattooed men with dark hair and eyes, the ones that were in a garage band at some point and liked alternative rock and had bruises on their arms for some reason. The ones that wore fingerless gloves and had piercings and probably owned a motorcycle. And sure, Nico had been wearing a suit that day and was not on a motorcycle, he was in a car with Percy. But still, for some reason, he seemed exactly like all the boys Will had ever been into.

And those boys were _never_ gay.

So as Will greeted his coworkers and went through the day, all he could think about was still Nico and the way he looked and his raspy voice and soft hair. But he also thought about the fact that Nico was not coming to the salon because he was interested in Will. He was coming over for repayment. So, as much as he wanted to kiss that scowl of his off the man's face, he knew it would never happen, and he'd have to accept it. Now, the only thing Will had to do was tell the butterflies in his stomach to go away.

And they were proving to be very stubborn.

The day went by extremely slowly. Will’s customer list seemed neverending, and he kept looking at the clock every five seconds, which really didn’t accelerate the process. He wasn’t nearly as talkative as he usually was, and Lou Ellen, his co worker and friend, had been glancing at him suspiciously, clearly noticing Will’s behavior. Will wasn’t surprised when she approached him during one of their short breaks. 

Lou Ellen plopped on the small couch with a cup of water and looked pointedly at Will, who had his eyes fixed on the floor. 

“So…” she started, leaning towards him with a quirked brow. “You’re not going to tell me why you’ve been acting weird all day?”

Will rubbed his neck and then buried his face in his hands. “Ugh. I was wondering when you were going to ask.”

Lou Ellen just looked at Will, waiting for him to continue. He lifted his head and glanced at her, sighing. 

“I… something weird happened yesterday.” 

She shot him a questioning look. “Weird like you found a mole on your leg or weird like you just found out your dad is a drag queen?”

Will glanced at her, clearly puzzled. “That was strangely specific.”

“Yeah, well...” Her eyes lost focus for a second before snapping out of it. “Stop distracting me. What happened yesterday?”

Will sighed again. 

“Uh, I met a really hot guy.”

Lou Ellen smiled in excitement, touching Will’s arm. “Will, that’s not weird, that’s great! How is he like? How did you meet?”

Will knew this was coming. Lou always got excited when Will met someone he liked, because apparently it was one of her personal goals to find Will’s future husband. She had tried to make him go on dates with a few of her friends, and she never seemed to give up, even though he’d say no every time. 

“No, Lou. It _is_ weird.” He grabbed her water and took a sip of it, trying to compose himself. “This man is pierced and tattooed, and he’s like emo or something, and his jet black hair is the softest thing in the world and he is light years out of my league. And he’s probably not gay. And if he was, he probably wouldn’t be into guys who style hair and wear pastel colored clothes.” His defeat almost conveyed how much he was feeling sorry for himself.

Lou was quiet for a while and Will was starting to think she'd fallen asleep until he felt a sharp pain on his arm. He grimaced, looking at her indignantly as he recomposed himself from the slap she'd just given him.

"Ow! What was that for?"

“William Solace, have you ever looked in the mirror? You are a hot piece of ass!" Lou was clearly affronted, frowning with her arms firmly crossed. "And you of all people should not be assuming someone’s sexuality.”

Her look was enough for him to snap out of his self-pity. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He thought about Nico’s lingering looks the night before, and how he had told him he would drop by, not that he would pay him the next day. But still…

“Also…” Lou said in a low voice, seeming a little more relaxed. “How do you know his hair is soft?”

She smirked at him and his cheeks got a little warm. 

“He needed an urgent haircut.”

Her expression was mocking as she heard him and she snorted. Will rolled his eyes.

“Lou, I’m serious! I was about to close up and some guy ran inside saying he was getting married and that his friend, Mr. Hottest Guy In The World, needed an urgent haircut. So I cut his hair and said it was on the house, and then they left.”

Lou looked at him suspiciously. “That’s it? He didn’t even attempt to pay you? He didn’t even say his name?”

Will bit his lip. “Well, yeah. His name is Nico di Angelo.” He avoided her gaze as he got up and started walking away towards one of the chairs where he would attend to his next client. “And he might have said he'd come over here tonight after we close.”

He heard her practically run after him. “He _what?_ ”

Will looked behind his back to see her mouth ajar, an excited grin threatening to appear. “Will, oh my god! He’s totally into you!”

He shushed her. “Shut up. I don’t want anyone sticking around during closing time.” He glanced around. “Today is Cecil’s turn to close up, but I need you to make an excuse for him not to be able to. Ask him to fix your apartment’s broken lock or something, and then I’ll offer to close up again today.”

She smiled giddily and nodded, going back to work. A few hours later, during their lunch break, they were all sitting and eating burritos when Lou Ellen brought up the subject.

“So, Cecil, I wanted to ask you a favor. The lock on my front door is broken or something, and I needed help fixing it. Do you think you can help me today after work? We could go together and maybe get a pizza at my place after we’re done.”

She was incredibly convincing. Will would have easily believed her if she were talking to him. Cecil thought for a while, staring at his burrito.

“Well, I guess I can, it’s just that today is my turn to close up. You’ll have to wait a while.”

Will’s voice was a little too enthusiastic when he said: “I can do it!”

Cecil looked at him questioningly as Lou Ellen shot him a quick exasperated look, as if saying: _Real smooth._

Will swallowed. “I - I mean, I don’t mind. I wanted to try some stuff with some new decor anyway, so I might as well do it before closing today.”

Cecil nodded. “Okay. I’ll do it whenever it’s your turn, then.”

The rest of the break went smoothly, albeit slow like everything else seemed to be that day. It seemed like three days had passed instead of one when Will was finally alone in the salon after Cecil left with Lou Ellen smiling wildly at Will when their friend wasn’t looking and sending him thumbs up. She really needed to stop getting this invested in Will's love life.

Will looked around after closing everything up and turning off the computer and lights. He glanced at his watch. 6:58 PM. 

He walked outside, locking the door and turning to face the street, unsure of what to do with himself. He decided against sitting on the sidewalk, not wanting to get his white shorts dirty. Instead, he just leaned against the door and pulled out his phone. Exactly 7 PM. 

He looked at his phone for about two seconds before the distraction arrived. 

Will felt his breath catch as he spotted Nico walking towards him, crossing the street. He looked _incredible_. His lean figure was covered in black - black skinny jeans, a leather jacket and combat boots. He was wearing a couple of rings and his piercings glinted in the low light. The collar of his band t-shirt was low and Will could see a lot more of the tattoos covering his neck and chest than the shirt from yesterday permitted. His hair was styled better than Will ever could, those silky black strands reflecting the glint of the lampposts. Will reminded himself that he would faint if he didn’t get air in his lungs soon, so he took a shaky breath. 

“Hey,” Nico greeted. “I’m glad you waited.”

“Well, I didn’t really wait that much,” Will answered, looking at the lockscreen on is wrecked phone. He stared at it, trying to focus on something that wasn't his heartbeat. He was pretty sure Nico could hear it from where he was standing.

Nico shrugged, apparently unaware of the effect he was causing on Will. “So, I wanted to repay you for yesterday in some way,” he said. “Would you be into going somewhere to eat? I know a great Italian place close by.”

Will thought about this. Was this a date? Was Nico into him? It was already nighttime, and he was basically asking Will out for dinner. Still, that didn’t mean it was supposed to be romantic. He glanced at Nico, who was waiting for his response with what seemed to be a slightly nervous expression behind his cool manner.

 _What now?_ he thought. 

Oh, fuck it. He’d just be honest from the beginning. 

“Like for a date?”

Nico was visibly taken aback for a few seconds, but smirked, quirking an eyebrow. “If you want it to be…”

Will tried to suppress his smile, but he failed miserably. His grin was wide and his voice was soft when he said: 

“Yeah, I really do.” 

It was the first time Will saw Nico actually smile, and he was instantly addicted. It was beautiful and it made butterflies explode in his stomach, and suddenly he developed an urgent need to see it again. 

It was Will’s new goal to make Nico smile as much as possible.

He stepped closer to Nico, but the man didn't budge, and suddenly there was a lot less space between them. Nico looked down at Will and swallowed, and Will suddenly realized they could kiss if he just came a little bit closer. His already accelerated heart rate doubled its speed. 

"Well..." Will said in a low voice. "Lead the way."

Nico smirked again, and Will wanted to kiss him _so badly_ , and he was getting closer and closer and - 

The intense gaze they shared was broken as Nico looked down and Will felt a pinch of disappointment, until he felt cold fingers entwine his own. He looked down at their hands and then up again to find a small, slightly malicious smile on Nico's face. 

_He's teasing me._

Nico turned to the street, still looking at Will. "Come on, follow me. We can walk there."

"Walk... where?" Will was still blissful and was he floating? It certainly felt like it. Nico chuckled. 

"To our _date_ ," he said, and Will was sure that smirk was going to kill him at some point, but he followed him anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yesssss finally some actual solangelo. i love these two so much ugh. anyway, i hope you like this chapter (it was the most fun to write so far). i'm so excited for what's to come!!  
> thank you for reading and please comment what you think about it :)


	4. a trip to italy (almost)

The restaurant was small and hidden in a corner Will wouldn’t have looked if he weren’t following Nico. It was a brick building that looked old and rustic, and it was cozy and warm inside. Everything was lit up by string lights and candles and the amazing smell of warm food emanated from the kitchen. Soft music played in the background and the place was fairly crowded considering how small it was, adding to the warmth. Even if they hadn’t established this was a date, Will would have known it was as soon as they entered the place.

They took a seat and ordered some wine, and as the waiter brought it to them, Will suddenly felt very underdressed. The place was simple but very sophisticated and elegant. He glanced at his own clothes before he heard Nico’s voice.

“Stop worrying about the way you look,” he said, as if reading Will’s mind. “You look great. And between you and me, I think I’m the one standing out in the clothing department.”

The open compliment caught Will off guard. He smiled.

“You’re kidding, right? You look amazing.”

Nico looked at him with a suspicious smile. “You think so?”

“Duh,” Will answered. He realized how direct he was being and felt his cheeks heat up a little. He looked up at Nico, who had a slightly amused look on his face. “What?” Will asked.

Nico smirked. “I didn’t think you’d be into a guy like me. You seem like someone who likes soft, feminine people.”

“Well, you seem like someone who dates hot motorcycle-riding chicks, so.”

Nico laughed, and the room seemed to light up around him. It was the most beautiful sound Will had ever heard, and he was sure that he’d be happy to listen to it forever.

“You didn’t think I was gay?” Nico asked. “That’s a surprise. I thought that the ‘not being able to stop staring at you’ thing made it pretty obvious.”

Will chuckled. “Well, that _is_ a very telling thing. But I still think you’re the one who doesn’t seem like the type that would be into guys like me.”

“What makes you think that?”

Will shrugged, pretending his extreme attraction to this man wasn't making him a little crazy. “Because I’m like all soft and colorful and bright and definitely not as hot as you. Also, I look like a male California girl, which is, in my experience with mysterious emo guys with tattoos, not a problem - except from the ‘male’ part.” 

Nico chuckled. “Well,” he started with that raspy low voice, leaning closer. “It’s your lucky day, Solace, because _male_ California girls are exactly my type.”

This time, Will’s blush was definitely apparent. He bit his lip as he saw Nico’s dark eyes and that malicious smirk that made Will's insides churn. Damn, he was screwed.

"Where are you from?" Will asked. He wanted to store as much information about Nico as he could. (Even though a big part of the information he wanted could not be learned verbally.)

"Italy," Nico said simply. "You didn't notice the accent?" 

"I did, but just barely," Will said, staring at his empty plate before a thought hit him. He looked up. "Wait. Do you actually speak Italian?"

His smile was almost shy as he avoided Will's gaze. "Um, yeah. I only spoke Italian until I was like nine or something, and I kept it up, so I'm still fluent."

Will was not prepared for that. He locked eyes with Nico and he felt his stomach flip - he had a strange look on his face, like he was waiting for Will's reaction to this new piece of information, and suddenly Will had an image in his head of Nico whispering foreign words to his ear as he kissed down his neck and -

Will snapped out of that thought, remembering the man sitting in front of him had said something and he should say something in return, like a normal, non-malfunctioning human being.

"Uh."

 _Wow, Will. How articulate,_ he thought. He cleared his throat, seeing Nico with that amused smile on his face again, almost like he was secretly entertained by Will's flustered self.

"That's, uh, interesting." Will was about to punch himself on the face.

Nico smiled again, and this time the knowing look on his face was obvious. "I can show you some of that later, if you like."

Will, as said before, was completely malfunctioning and that look on Nico's face was so dark and he was biting his lip a little and he could almost _feel_ the heat coming off him from across the table. So he just nodded.

Their food arrived a few minutes later and it was incredible. The pasta was amazing and the sauce tasted like heaven, almost melting in Will's mouth. He hadn’t even realized how hungry he was until he started eating. He hummed contently.

“It’s so good,” he said, mouth still full. “Wow. How did you find this place?”

“I, uh…" Nico’s expression became a little shy. "I own it.”

“ _What?_ ” Will asked incredulously. He couldn't believe a guy his age owned a place like this. "Really?"

“Yeah. It was my mom’s.”

A solemn look flashed through his eyes when he said it, completely different from the content and relaxed expression from before. Will looked curiously at him, wondering whether he should ask about the past tense, but it seemed too personal. Instead, he just made a mental note not to forget what Nico had said and continued the conversation.

“That’s really cool. The food is incredible. Seriously, I could eat this every day.”

Nico looked grateful as he took a sip of the wine they had ordered. “I can teach you, if you like. My mom taught me everything she knew.”

Will gasped. “Would you? Seriously?”

Nico shrugged nonchalantly, but he was hiding a satisfied look behind his glass of wine. “Sure, it would be fun. We can make pasta from scratch.”

Will tried to distract himself from the thought of Nico shirtless with an apron on, teaching him how to make homemade pasta. He desperately needed to control his thoughts, but it was close to impossible around this man, apparently.

“What about you?” Nico asked. “How did you end up working there at the salon?”

Will shrugged. “I opened it after I finished beauty school. Worked my ass off to pay for the place, but it turned out okay.”

“You’re the owner?” Nico asked. Will just nodded. “That’s pretty cool. It’s a great place.”

“Speaking of the salon, how was Percy’s wedding? Did you get there in time?" Will asked. "You never told me what happened after you left.”

“Oh, yeah. It all worked out in the end,” Nico answered. “I still don’t understand why Percy wanted so desperately for me to get a haircut. My hair has always been kinda long, and I’m sure Annabeth was way too focused on Percy himself to even care about what anyone looked like. Well, except for that bitch Drew that went with a white dress.”

Will laughed, and he didn’t fail to notice Nico’s expression as he did. He felt a chill go down his spine again.

“ _I’m_ certainly glad he _did_ care about it. I wouldn’t have gotten a super hot date if it weren’t for him.”

Nico shook his head. “I doubt you have a hard time getting hot dates, Solace.”

“You know, di Angelo,” Will said, “I actually don’t get to meet a lot of guys in my line of work, surprisingly. I guess men don’t really like getting perms.”

That amazing laugh washed over Will again and he could barely keep himself from jumping off his chair and kissing this man senseless.

"Well, that's a good point," Nico smiled. "I guess I just assumed because you look like you surf."

Will shrugged. "Well, I do surf sometimes, but if you're referring to my tan, that's just because I go on walks every day."

Will held back a smirk and watched as Nico nodded seriously before he continued:

"Also, it's totally fake."

He laughed as Nico's fake indignation melted into a soft chuckle. His earring went back and forth as he shook his head at Will.

"I totally believed you," Nico smiled as Will grinned cheekily at him. "I think you can imagine just how much I know about tans, judging by how incredibly dark my skin is."

Will smiled back. "Yes. You look like you have a very special relationship with sunblock."

Nico raised his eyebrows solemnly. "Oh, no. We're not anything serious, don't worry." He winked, shooting Will that sinful smirk. "I'm all yours."

Will didn't know how Nico had the ability to make him flustered talking about sunblock, but the man was clearly determined to make him blush in any way possible. 

The evening went by in no time. Will got completely immersed in Nico's presence - his smirk, the seemingly effortless flirting, the way he slipped into playful banter so easily... Being with Nico felt almost natural, as if Will were always meant to be with him and just didn't know it. As if they knew each other before they even met.

When the restaurant was almost empty, Will realized they had been there for over four hours. Nico had just finished a funny story and was taking the last bites of his chocolate dessert when Will started getting up.

“Where are you going?” Nico asked skeptically, stopping his spoon halfway into his mouth.

“To pay for the food,” Will answered, as if it were obvious. Nico stared at him.

“Will, this is my restaurant.”

Will stared back, looking confused. “And?”

Nico sighed, exasperated, and rolled his eyes. “And the point of this date is for me to _repay you._ ”

Will sat back down with a mischievous look in his eyes, feigning surprise with a dramatic gasp and a hand against his chest.

“And here I was thinking it was because of my irresistible charm.”

He barely got the words out of his mouth before Nico got up and walked over to Will, grabbing his hand and pulling him deeper into the restaurant. Something had changed in his eyes, and Will felt goosebumps all over with how intense they were. He dragged Will to a door, opening it to reveal a small closet. Before he knew it, Will found himself being pulled in and shoved against the closed door.

Nico looked straight into Will's eyes, pressing his body against the cold wood. He dragged one hand up Will’s neck and tangled his fingers in his golden hair, tugging on it, and leaned forward until his lips were brushing Will's ear. Will couldn't breathe and he felt a chill go down his spine when Nico whispered:

"Let me show you how I feel about your charm, Solace."

And with that, Nico kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone. sorry it took so long to update this. everything has been kinda crazy, and although i had this chapter ready i didn't want to post it yesterday due to blackout tuesday. i hope you are all safe and doing anything you can to support the black lives matter movement. (you can help by donating, signing petitions, spreading information, protesting, getting educated and VOTING!!)
> 
> on a happier note, it's pride month!! what better way to share my love for the community than by writing gay fanfiction, am i right? (lol just kidding, we should all support it in bigger ways. but i hope this fic expresses at least a little bit of my love!!)
> 
> anyway, these are hard times and things need to be said, but i hope this fic can bring a little light into someone's life. please tell me what you think of this chapter in the comments and stay safe you guys!!


	5. can't stop dreaming about you

In all of Nico's years of one night stands and being with strangers, he had never experienced anything like the feeling of kissing Will Solace.

It felt almost like a religious experience, kissing Will. The softness of his lips, the tenderness of his touch, the warmth he emanated so strongly that it felt like a fire - Nico had never felt anything as exhilarating as Will's body against his own, stirring something inside that made him think he would burst any second. Nico reveled in the sensation of Will's fingertips being shoved in his hair and running down his arms and back up his neck, their tongues entwined in a dance that felt almost familiar. They moved so in sync, it was almost like they had known how to kiss each other their whole lives. So when Will's phone suddenly went off in the dark closet they were in, Nico almost let out a whimper.

"What is it?" he asked rather coarsely.

Will sighed. "It's my roommate. He left his keys at the salon and now he's stuck outside."

He sounded like it pained him to let the words out, and if Nico were being totally honest, it pained him to hear them. Even so, Will's voice was raspy and even in the low closet light, Will looked so attractive with that dazed look and puffy lips, it was hard to resist kissing him again. Nico's brain went blank for a few seconds before words came back to him.

"Can't we stay here just a little longer?" he pleaded, looking into those blue eyes before ducking and peppering kisses down Will's neck. 

The blonde chuckled lightly, humming a little. "Very eager, I see. I like that."

Nico looked up and rolled his eyes before dipping his head again and scraping his teeth lightly against the sensitive skin he had just kissed, drawing a low grunt from Will that Nico felt all the way down to his toes. He lifted his head and smirked at Will, staying close enough for their noses to touch.

"I think you're not in a position to make any arrogant remarks, Solace."

Will stared at Nico with hooded eyes before flashing a lazy grin that made him impossibly more attractive. Nico contained himself so he wouldn't shove him against the door and kiss him senseless again.

"Well, I'm not lying," the man said. "And you can bite harder next time, if you like."

He smirked before pulling Nico into another blinding kiss and he was sure he was going to explode. Will broke the kiss (way too soon, in Nico’s opinion) and tugged the short hair behind his head, making him shudder.

"I have to go, sunshine," he smiled, and Nico honestly didn't even mind the ridiculous nickname at this point. "But I can't wait to do this again sometime."

Nico stepped back and soon they were outside on the street, shivering at the sudden gust of wind. He turned to Will. 

"You never gave me your number," Will said, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. 

Nico smirked. "And what makes you think I want to give it to you?"

Will stared for a while before barking out a laugh. Nico raised his eyebrows at him (albeit amused) before the blond stepped a little closer.

"Well, _di Angelo_ ," he said, his voice silky and playful. "I was hoping to get more than a kiss from you in the future, if that's okay with you."

Nico smirked at Will's grin. "You're too cocky for your own good."

Will chuckled. "You have no idea how _cocky_ I can get."

Nico stared at him for exactly three seconds before he burst out laughing. He threw his head back, holding his stomach as Will smiled, clearly proud of himself.

"That was terrible!" Nico wheezed. Will looked unfazed, as if Nico laughing at him didn't make him regret the terrible pun at all.

"Well, you still laughed, so it worked," he said smugly.

He was grinning, clearly enjoying this, and Nico's stomach flipped at the view. He couldn't stop himself from grabbing Will's face and pulling him in for a kiss, this time a lot lighter but somehow more intimate than the other ones they had shared. They lingered as they broke the kiss, and Nico took a moment to appreciate the closeness and the warmth of Will's body so close to his, contrasting with the cold autumn air around them.

"Good night, Nico," Will said quietly, tracing a finger down Nico's cheek before kissing him again. Nico smiled into his lips.

"Good night, Will."

He stood on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and watched as Will walked away, stealing one last glance before disappearing around the corner.

***

Will was going to kill Cecil.

He walked inside their apartment building and power walked to the elevator, partly in annoyance and partly because he just wanted to warm up from the chilly air from outside. His roommate was lucky he’d just come home from an incredible date, because if his brain weren’t filled with thoughts about Nico, he might have actually murdered his roommate.

(The fact that Cecil had interrupted that date was almost enough to make Will do it.)

The elevator doors opened and he spotted his friend’s figure slumped against the wall next to their door. His friend looked at him with wide eyes, sitting on the floor next to the door and gripping his phone until his knuckles went white.

"Will, I am _so sorry_ -" 

"Just shut up."

Will unlocked the door and stomped inside, huffing. He headed straight to the kitchen, hearing Cecil’s steps following him cautiously. He opened the fridge and grabbed a cold slice of pizza, taking a bite out of it without even bothering heating it up, and sat on the counter.

"Uh, didn’t you just come back from a date?" Cecil asked quietly.

Will huffed again. "Yes, Cecil. I just came back from an incredible date with the man of my dreams and Italian food that would put this miserable slice of pizza to shame. And now I’m stress eating."

Cecil looked at him sheepishly. "Because I interrupted it?"

Will let out an exasperated sigh, widening his eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" he said, letting his hand fly up in an indignant gesture. "I was about to get laid by the _hottest man on Earth,_ Cecil!"

He saw his friend look at the floor, clearly ashamed. "I’m sorry, Will, I really am. Lou told me all about it." He sighed. "Did I completely screw it up?"

"Well, no. And you’re not the only reason I’m stress eating." He let out a breath. "I’m really nervous about this guy."

Cecil looked at him questioningly. "But why? Didn't you say he was the hottest guy you'd ever seen?"

"That's exactly why I'm nervous!" Will exclaimed. "But it's not just that. Whenever I'm with him, it's like I feel this... connection. I know it's super cheesy but I don't know how else to explain it." He sighed, abandoning his pizza on the counter and burying his face in his hands. "I just don't want to screw it up."

Cecil was quiet for a while and Will was about to look up at him before he felt a hand shoving him, making him fall off the counter. He really needed friends who didn't physically abuse him all the time.

"What was that for?" he asked indignantly.

Cecil scowled at him. "For being an idiot. What the hell, Will? You've been to one date and you're already freaking out!"

"I know, Cecil! That's why I'm worried!" Will said, sitting back on the counter. "It's so annoying how easily I fall for guys. I've been to one date and I'm already in so deep."

Cecil smirked. "Well, not as deep as you'd like, I'm sure..."

This time, he was the one being shoved. Will rolled his eyes. "Shut up, you're reminding me that I'm mad at you and I need someone to vent to."

They made their way to their beds in the studio apartment they shared. Will plopped onto his sheets and groaned exasperatedly. 

"Oh, stop being so dramatic." Cecil didn't even bother to turn around as he took off his clothes, they were so comfortable around each other. "You'll be fine, I know it. Just don't get ahead of yourself."

As his roommate went to the shower, Will stayed on his bed thinking of tattoos and silky black hair until he dozed off over the covers, but not before picking up his phone and typing a quick text.

**will** \- Sleep well, sunshine ;) _(00:38)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm alive! finally a new chapter for you guys, i'm sorry it's a bit too short.  
> unfortunately these updates are going to be a little more sporadic from now on. i'm going through some shit with my mental health, so i'm kind of taking things slow. writing is a good outlet but i'm trying to pressure myself less about things, so i'm going to write when i feel up to it and not just to fulfill a deadline. i'll try not to take as long as this update did, but i can't promise you much right now. i hope you guys understand.  
> anyway, i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please comment and share your thoughts :)


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